SUNY Canton Roos help out visiting teams from beleaguered Boston

The baseball teams from SUNY Canton and Fisher College line up for a moment of reflection on the events in Boston last week.

CANTON – Showing support for their weary opponents from Boston, the SUNY Canton baseball and softball teams played host to Fisher College teams that barely made it to Canton after last Friday’s lockdown in Boston.

The SUNY Canton Roos baseball team walked across the field, shook hands and stood side-by-side with the Fisher College Falcons during a moment of silence and the pre-game national anthem on Saturday.

Fisher College is just a few blocks from where the bombs exploded in Boston last Monday. It has been an emotional week for students from the college.

The Falcons were unable to leave as scheduled on Friday due to the travel lockdown. They were also unable to go to the bank for money for meal and travel expenses. The two teams scrambled to bring all of its players to campus in time for its departure late Friday evening, leaving some players behind, and arriving in the North Country at 4 a.m. Saturday.

Led by SUNY Canton Alumni Director Peggy Levato and Alumni Development Associate Jamie L. Burgess, college officials scrambled to accommodate and support the two visiting teams. Following Saturday’s games, the Roos softball and baseball teams hosted the Falcons at Sergi’s Restaurant in Canton where they served a pasta dinner with salad and bread. The Canton College Foundation and SUNY Canton Booster Club paid for the cost of dinner. Price Chopper in Canton donated cupcakes and cookies for dessert. Vice President of Student Affairs Molly Mott and Athletic Director Randy B. Sieminski spoke briefly to welcome the teams and show their support.

“I’d like to say thanks to Peggy Levato and Jamie Burgess from our Alumni Department for all their time and hard work on Saturday to arrange for dinner and show our support for our guests from Boston,” said Sieminski. “The Falcons have been wonderful competitors with the Roos for nearly seven years. They have had a traumatic week and most of their players, coaches and families were significantly affected by the bombings. We hope their time here is a comforting respite from the intensity of the circumstances in Boston.”

Sieminski also thanked Price Chopper, the staff at Sergi’s Restaurant, the Canton College Foundation, the Roos baseball and softball coaches and players, as well as all the other SUNY Canton staff members helping to welcome and accommodate the Falcons.

Similar to Major League Baseball teams this past week, the Roos also played Boston’s unofficial anthem, Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond, over the sound system during Saturday and Sunday’s games.

On Saturday, the Falcons baseball team squeaked out an intense 10-9 win over the Roos, while SUNY Canton downed Fisher College 6-1 in softball.

The baseball teams will play three games on Sunday beginning at 11 a.m. and the softball teams will play a double header starting at noon.